Conventional water ski tow lines are comprised of a single line forming a pair of strands at a yoke which are attached to the handle by passing straight through apertures in the handle, wrapping around and returning through the same hole. The force on the tow line handle is thus in a plane parallel with the handle axis and the axis of extension of the tow line. This particular arrangement has been found to cause a problem of the handle being twisted out of one's grip which can be appropriately referred to as "roll-out". This is caused particularly when the ski tow line is being used in competition such as the slalom, where the line shortened after each run by the competitors through the slalom.
Historically, water ski tow line handles are attached to the tow line at two points, one at each end of the handle. There are several methods utilized to attach the line to the handle ends. In some cases, the line passes through a hole in the handle and is tied in a knot. In another method, the line passes through the hole in the handle, wraps back around the handle and rejoins the main line. The latter is tied to the handle with a single or double entry through the hole in the ends of the handle. Sometimes a hollow tubular handle is used and the line passes through an aperture in the surface of the handle and is tied in a knot inside the hollow handle. While all of these methods are effective for tying a ski tow line to a handle, they are subject to the problem of the handle rotation in use. Except for the stiffness of the line and protective sheaths at the ends of the handle (which is generally negligible) the handle is free to pivot about the point where the line exits from the handle. When a water skier has a very firm grip, the handle can rotate from a position normal to the axis of line extension.
The problem is that as the skier's grip becomes tired of the force of the pull and when the force nears the skier's grip limit, the handle can begin to slip out of the hand. When this occurs, the thumb is first to let go, and the grip is then maintained by virtue of the semi-circular arc formed by the fingers. Loss of the ski line is not hopeless at this time, that is, it's quite common for a skier to experience a momentary surge followed by slack, during which he can recover the grip on the ski tow line handle. However, during the period of partial grasp of just the fingers, most of the grip will result in friction between the hand and the handle, from the tip of the fingers up to where they join the palm of the hand. The resultant force can act as a twisting or rotational force on the handle which can have the effect of "unwinding" the hand from the handle which further can reduce the skier's grip. This action is aptly called "roll-out".
Another disadvantage of this particular method of tying the tow line is that the line passes around the handle ends and is often exposed. This exposed portion of the line can chafe the hands, and can become worn from abrasion. End caps have been designed to eliminate this problem by completely covering the ends of the handle and exposed line. End caps for this purpose are disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,335,478 issued Jun. 22, 1982 to the same inventor as the device disclosed herein.
A further problem is the wear on tow lines at the yoke, where the two woven strands of line from the handle come together to form the single line. This is another problem area where the line can become worn or chafed, causing a defective tow line. It would be advantageous if a heavy protective covering could be easily installed at the tow line yoke.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a water ski tow line that substantially prevents roll-out. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a water ski tow line in which the line is tied to the handle in a manner which will provide an anti-roll action to eliminate roll-out.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a water ski tow line handle in which the line can be tied to provide equal and opposite forces at tangent points on opposite sides of the handle to minimize or eliminate roll-out.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide water ski tow line end caps which permit a tow line to be tied in a manner that minimizes or prevents roll-out.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide water ski end caps that will provide a protective cover for the ends of the handle and the loop formed by tying the line to the handle to prevent roll-out.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of making a protective covering for a water ski tow line yoke that can be easily made in a single operation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a protective covering for a water ski tow line yoke that can be quickly and easily installed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a protective covering for a water ski tow line yoke that has a webbed portion that can be used for decorative purposes.